Seeking the song of her saw

A recent Wednesday, 11:15 a.m.: Anika Erdmann fell in the love with idea of playing the musical saw as a child in Germany. Her mother wouldplayed recordings of Marlene Dietrich singing and manipulating a saw, making haunting melodies that were nothing like the harsh sound of ripping wood that a carpenter produces could achievewith the same instrument.
Erdmann described the Dietrich recordings as among the most beautiful sounds she’s ever heard. It’s a romance she has ’snever forgotten.
As time passed, Erdmann learned to play the piano, the guitar, the flute, the organ and the violin — but it wasn’t until she moved to Bay Area three years ago that she rekindled her dream of playing the saw.
Erdmann, 35, studied mechanical engineering and spends most of her days in her San Francisco apartment, honing social media strategies for a Silicon Valley startup called Kachingle. She made a connection with a musical saw maker, Peter Wentworth of East Peoria, Ill., who has sold thousands of them to people all over the world through his website, MusicalSaw.com.
Erdmann tracked him down by phone after she noticed that his antiquated Web presence could use some updating.
“We started talking, and after two hours he had a complete social media and online blogging strategy from me,” Erdmann said. “And I had a free saw.”
Wentworth said, “It was my proposal to do the trade. I’ve always been into the idea of barter.” The $120 saw was well worth the lesson in Twitter and Facebook, he addedsaid.
“The saw has a beautiful voice,” Wentworth said. “What’s compelling is that it’s easy to play even if you’re not a musician.”
He offers basic tutorials on his website for successful saw playing on his website. All it takes is a few days of perseverance, he says.
Erdmann prepared herself. She watched Wentworth’s tutorials. She watched clips of the famed “Saw Lady” in a New York subway playing the theme to “Star Trek,” warbling her S-shaped saw with ease.
It was different for Erdmann. had a different experience.
“I was frustrated, because for about two months I couldn’t make any noise at all,” she said.
When she finally made the saw hum for the first time, she was so excited she called her boyfriend at work. Erdmann said the trick was to treat the saw like a sensitive woman.
“At first I was too harsh — brutal, even — and she (the saw) responded with nothing.”
Now Erdmann can consistently make tones on her saw. She practices in her living room, usually when her roommates are out.
“There are plenty of people who can’t stand the sound of a saw because it is so intense and whiny,” Erdmann said.
She still can’t play a song, but a peaceful look graces her face when she slips the bow over the edge of her saw. There is plenty of time to work on her dream.

Photo: Mike Kepka / The Chronicle

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Anika Erdmann practices her musical saw playing in her living room in San Francisco, Calif. Erdmann, who has always wanted to play the saw traded her expertise in social media for a saw.

Anika Erdmann practices her musical saw playing in her living room in San Francisco, Calif. Erdmann, who has always wanted to play the saw traded her expertise in social media for a saw.

Photo: Mike Kepka / The Chronicle

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Anika Erdmann holds the bow she uses to stroke her tones out of her musical saw.

Anika Erdmann holds the bow she uses to stroke her tones out of her musical saw.